Civil War in Ulster: its Objects and Probable Consequences: its Objects and Probable Consequences (Classics of Irish History) - Softcover

"a useful reminder that the apparent monolith of exclusivist unionism during Stormont was not inevitable and that other traditions may yet get the political space to re-emerge." Irish Economic and Social Review 2001 "It was in the interests of too many leading politicians to leave Britain ignorant of nationalist Ireland, just as nationalist Ireland was ignorant of Britain... Men and women like Johnston... who were well informed about nationalist Irish and English political culture, were unfortunately rare. Much of the historical significance of Johnston's book lies in this exceptionality." Bullan VI Jan 2001 "Civil War in Ulster is an astonishing book. Written in 1913 by Joseph Johnston who was then only 23 years old. It was an attempt to persuade Ulster Protestants that their fears of and rejection of Home Rule were unwise, and unwarranted. The depth of learning of history and the arrangement of the argument is breathtaking ... A great service has been done by University College Dublin Press in reprinting this erudite and readable book which is as relevant today as when written. Would that his logical advice had been followed!" Mary Henry Irish Independent Feb 2000 "a fine example of an alternative protestant tradition that has too often been forgotten, that is worthy of reprinting as an Irish classic." D. George Boyce, Irish Studies Review 8 (2) 2000 "No student of politics, economics, history, sociology or anthropology ought to be without it." Irish Democrat Feb/March 2000 "This book is a valuable and well-written aid to our appreciation of the situation early this century. It is not a prescription for dealing with the present position." Irish Emigrant Book Review Oct 1999 "University College Dublin Press has now published over thirty 'Classics of Irish History'. These contemporary accounts by well known personalities of historical events and attitudes have an immediacy that conventional histories do not have. Introductions by modern historians provide additional historical background and, with hindsight, objectivity." Books Ireland Nov 2007 "Scholars of nineteenth-century Irish and Irish-American politics should reacquaint themselves with these classics, part of a long running and immensely useful series from University College Dublin Press." Irish Literary Supplement Fall 2008

Joseph Johnston was an Ulster Protestant Liberal, in favour of Home Rule by Britain. He published this book in 1913 to persuade the majority of Ulstermen that the dangers they saw were imaginary, and that avoiding Home Rule was not worth a civil war. He examined the events leading up to the massive arming of the Orangemen. He made the case that Home Rule had many positive features, and that none of the perceived negative features were worth fighting a civil war to avoid. In the Classics of Irish History series, this is its first reprinting since 1914.